This invention relates generally to lighting systems for swimming pools and, more particularly, to fiber optic cable assemblies that are mounted along the perimeter of above-ground swimming pools.
Submersible electric lights for the illumination of swimming pools and spas have become well known over the years. More recently, it has become popular to use fiber optic cables in swimming pool lighting systems. Fiber optic systems consist basically of a remote light source and either or a combination of two types of fiber optic cable namely end light or side light cable. End light fiber optic cable is designed to emit light from the end of a fiber opposite the light source to either provide a directly viewed point of light or to cast illumination upon an area. Side light fiber optic cable, with a clear or translucent jacket, takes advantage of light escaping from the side of the fiber or bundled fibers to deliver an effect similar to neon light for direct viewing.
One example of side light fiber optic perimeter lighting may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,496. That patent sets forth a perimeter lighting assembly which is mounted in a track around the pool periphery. The fiber optic cable assembly includes a bundle of fiber optic fibers, a tube, a track, a plurality of fasteners and securing means. The tube has a front surface and a rear surface and the bundle of fiber optic fibers is contained within the tube. The tube has flanges which fit within the track and fasteners are employed to secure the track to the side of the pool.
This arrangement is suitable for in-ground pool lighting but does not adapt well to above-ground installations because of the expense of a system effective in delivering adequate under water (end-out) and perimeter (side-out) illumination. Part of this expense is due to the cost of the fiber optic cable between its remote light source and the pool wall. Because there is a natural loss of light over distance in fiber optic cable, the fiber optic cable required between a remote light source and the pool also reduces the amount of light transmitted, reducing the light efficiency of the system. Another part of this expense is due to the large fiber cable or powerful remote light surface required to provide adequate under water illumination. Dark surfaces are more difficult to effectively illuminate then lightly colored surfaces and only very expensive fiber optic systems deliver acceptable or adequate under water illumination of darker surfaces. The vast majority of above ground pools have dark liners or liners with dense, dark, printed patterns.